


The Staring Game

by ireadhpinenochian



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, M/M, Nerd Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-09
Updated: 2015-03-09
Packaged: 2018-03-17 02:06:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3511208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ireadhpinenochian/pseuds/ireadhpinenochian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean can't stop staring at Cas. Cas can't stop staring at Dean. Charlie can't take it anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Staring Game

“You still staring at Dreamy McCreeperton over there?”

Dean, who had been gazing in the general direction of the black haired, trench coated teen in question, jumped and turned to face his friend. “Shut up, Charlie,” he said with a scowl and a blush. “I’m not staring.”

Charlie just laughed and plopped down on the seat next to him, flicking some of her bright red hair out of her face. “Oh, is it his turn to stare?”

“I never should have even told you about him.”

She just laughed and snagged a fry off of his plate. “Like I didn’t know already,” she said popping the stolen fry into her mouth as Dean glared. “You’re very obvious.”

“What? I am not!” he told her, smacking her hand away from trying to steal any more of his food.

“Oh my gosh, you so are,” she fought back. “Every time I see you two narrowly avoiding each other’s eyes it’s like I’m back watching Deathly Hallows and Ron is staring all lovey dovey at Hermione when she’s trying to teach him the piano. Except with you two it’s even worse since I can’t just skip to the end and watch them get together—granted I’d rather read about them getting together since it was much better in the books, but I’m just trying to give you a visual. Although, really, it was so much better and poignant in the books since Ron _finally_ understood what she was going for with the whole elf rights thing, and then Hermione initiated—“

“Charlie,” Dean cut her off. “You’re going off on a book versus movie tangent again.”

“Sorry,” she said, shaking her head to dispel the argument dying to crawl its way out of her throat. “We’re focusing on your pathetic love life, I forgot.”

“Hey!” Dean said. “It’s not pathetic!”

“ _So_ pathetic.”

“Shut up,” he said and then smacked her hand again. “And stop trying to steal my French fries!”

Charlie just grinned. “You should ask him out.”

Dean’s cheeks and ears reddened. “What?” he spluttered. “I can’t just ask Castiel out!”

“Why not?” she asked with a shrug. “He’d totally say yes.”

Dean let out a self deprecating laugh. “Oh yeah, totally.” He rolled his eyes. “Because who wouldn’t want to date the vice president of the LARPing club?”

“Hey, I resent that,” Charlie said. “I’m the president of the LARPing club and I know I’m absolutely, one hundred percent dateable. If anything, I’m out of most people’s league.”

“Well, we can’t all be the queen.”

“Come on, Winchester,” she said. “You’re a total catch underneath your oversized nerd shirts.”

“What’s wrong with my shirts?” Dean asked, looking down at his baggy black shirt with Batman’s logo standing out in yellow. “Batman is awesome!” He looked back over at Charlie. “Yours has Wonder Woman!” he accused.

“Yes, but I’m the queen,” she said. “Besides, I’m not drowning in mine. You’ve got a good body, Winchester, show it off a little.”

“This was the last one they had at the store,” Dean grumbled.

“It’s called online shopping,” Charlie said. “But we’re getting off topic. You need to go over there and ask your boy out. Trust me.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Not going to happen, Charlie.”

“Why not?” she whined. “You two are totally the will-they-won’t-they couple of the school! And I have my money on will!”

“Okay, first of all,” Dean said. “I don’t think anyone at this school aside from the LARPing club and my AP Physics class knows who I am; and second, do you really have money on it?”

“Alright, alright,” she said. “So you’re the will-they-won’t-they of Moondor, but _still_!”

“Nope,” he said. “It’s not going to happen. He doesn’t even know I exist.”

“Get ready for this Liz Lemon eye roll,” Charlie said, and then with the utmost exaggeration, she rolled her eyes. “Go ask him out, dummy.”

“Shit, Charlie, if you’re so set on this idea then you go ask him out.” Dean pushed the remains of his fries away from him.

A mischievous glint appeared in Charlie’s eye. “Ask him out myself, you say?”

“Wait, what?” Dean asked, looking up to see the look of pure evil glee on his best friend’s face. “Charlie…” he warned as she stood up.

“What?” she asked, attempting innocence. “I’m just taking your advice.”

He grabbed her elbow and attempted to pull her back down. “You can’t ask him out!” he told her urgently. “You’re a lesbian, you don’t even like guys!”

She let out a sharp laugh at that. “I’m not asking him out for me,” she said, pulling her arm out of Dean’s now dawning-realization-induced slackened grip. Charlie made it halfway across the cafeteria before the full effect of her words hit him.

“Charlie!” he whisper-shouted at her. “ _Charlie!_ ” She completely ignored him, marching across the room with purpose. Dean debated the merits of tackling Charlie and attracting the attention of the whole school, or just sinking down in his chair to attempt spontaneous combustion. Either way, they both ended in his total and utterly mortifying doom.

Dean could only watch on in horror as Charlie finally made it over to Cas and tapped him on the shoulder. He put his head down on the table and vowed to murder his best friend later.

—

Castiel looked up from his book when he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Dean’s best friend, Charlie he believed her name was. His face paled a little. He knew she had caught him staring at Dean, now here she was to tell him to knock it off or else.

“Hey,” she said brightly. “You’re Cas, right?”

“Yes,” he said, eyes flicking over to Dean who had his arms covering his head where it rested on the table. “Castiel, actually, but yes.”

“Right,” she said. “Well, look, this is probably a little weird, but I’ve totally seen you staring at Dean—“

“I’m sorry,” he told her. “I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry. I’ll stop, I promise.”

“What?” she asked, brushing some of her hair behind an ear as if it had impaired her hearing. “No, no! Stare on! If he ever noticed, he’d like it. I promise.”

Cas squinted and tilted his head. “He’d… like it?”

She shrugged with a put upon nonchalance. “Probably,” she said.

Cas’ cheeks tinged pink and he looked away.

“So can I assume that you’re totally crushing on him?” she asked. “Like some serious Doctor/Rose type crushing?”

“Who is Dr. Rose?” Cas asked.

Charlie clutched a dramatic hand over her heart. “Ignoring my personal heartbreak, for the moment,” she said. “Do you like Dean?”

Cas cleared his throat and looked back at his book. He could feel the heat of his blush rising to cover his entire face. “I—umm…”

“Because,” Charlie continued. “He totally likes you.”

Cas snapped his head up to stare wide eyed at Charlie. “He what?”

“Totally has a crush on you,” she told him. “I’d give you more pop culture references to really emphasize my point, but I’m too afraid to find out what else you haven’t watched.”

“Dean likes me?” he asked, voice choked in disbelief. “Dean Winchester?”

“That’s the one,” she said. “Although, I can’t speak for other Deans. You might be a total Dean magnet.”

“I—“ Cas stopped and cleared his throat. “Are you lying to me? Dean looks angry that you’re over here.”

Charlie just laughed. “He’s just totally horrified that I’m telling you,” she said with a glance back at Dean who, she could see even from this distance, had a bright red blush covering his entire face, which he was still trying to hide. “But I’m sorry, I couldn’t take the barely missed stares of longing anymore. It had to end.”

“So, Dean…” Cas started, still in awe with a pinch of confusion.

“Totally likes you?” Charlie finished for him. “Yup. So I’m hoping you’re a little more Gryffindor—no, wait,” she held a hand out to stop him from saying anything. “I don’t want to know if you don’t understand that reference. I was half kidding before, but this one would truly break my heart. So, anyway, I’m hoping you’re a little braver than Dean and will maybe do something with this information that I have so lovingly imparted.”

Cas closed his book and stood up from his seat. “I was sorted into Gryffindor on Pottermore,” he told her seriously. “I was hoping for Hufflepuff, but was quite pleased with the results nonetheless.”

Charlie’s face broke out into a huge smile and she stepped to the side, sweeping her hand out towards Dean. “Good luck,” she said. “Not that you’ll need it.”

He gave a single, sharp nod before straightening himself up to his full height and marching across the cafeteria towards his goal.

Dean still had his head down on the table so Cas cleared his throat to get his attention.

“Go away,” Dean mumbled. “I’m never speaking to you again.”

“Oh,” Cas said and at the sound of his graveled tones Dean’s head snapped up to stare.

“Cas?”

“Yes. Um…” Cas flexed and unflexed his hands in a nervous tic. “Charlie informed me that you would not be averse to my company.”

“Of course, man!” Dean nearly shouted. “I mean—uh—I would not be averse to that, no.” He held his hands out awkwardly as he gestured towards Charlie’s recently vacated seat.

“Thank you,” Cas said as he sat down stiffly upon the hard plastic.

A rather awkward silence followed, but it was one nearly bursting with potential.

“So, uh…” Dean started. “What exactly did Charlie say?”

“Well, some of it was unintelligible,” he replied. “She speaks quickly and in references.”

Dean let out a bark of laughter.

“But she did inform me that you would not mind if you caught me staring at you.”

“You stare at me?” Dean asked.

Cas’s cheeks reddened. “Apparently only when you’re not staring at me,” he replied.

It was Dean’s turn to blush. “We must have perfect timing if we kept missing each other, huh?”

A corner of Cas’ mouth turned up in a small smile. “Perhaps it was the opposite. I think I may have approached you much sooner had I known this was mutual.”

Dean rubbed the back of his neck and averted his eyes. “Maybe, uh… Maybe we could hang out sometime?”

A smile bigger than any Dean had seen before crossed Cas’ face. “Yes, I would like that.”

“Great!” Dean said just as the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

“Friday?” Cas asked, standing up from his seat as Dean did the same.

Dean nodded. “Friday,” he agreed, slowly backing away and towards his next class. He ran into a chair and nearly tripped, barely managing to not fall flat on his ass. “Right, uh—right,” he said, pushing the chair away but not taking his eyes off of Cas. “I’ll pick you up at seven?”

“Yes, that sounds good,” Cas told him, walking towards Dean who had managed to back himself into a table. Cas grabbed his shoulder to help steady him.

“Thanks,” Dean muttered, feeling the heat from Cas’ grip and forgetting pretty much everything else.

“No problem,” Cas said. “But maybe you should start looking where you’re going.”

“Right.” Dean had forgotten he was going anywhere. “Uh…”

Cas slid his hand down Dean’s arm and intertwined their fingers. “Or maybe I could just help you out. Your class is right next to mine.”

A shriek from behind them had them both whipping their heads around.

“Finally!” a bouncing Charlie shouted from right behind them. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to find Jo before class starts. She owes me ten bucks.” And with that she ran off, red hair trailing behind her like flaming tread marks.

“Why does Jo owe her ten dollars?” Cas asked as the two of them finally entered the hallway where their classes were held.

Dean rolled his eyes. “They were betting on whether or not we were going to get together.”

“Oh,” Cas said. “I believe my brother, Gabriel, is a part of that as well. He will be quite pleased.”

“Jeez, was everyone betting on us?” Dean asked with a slight shake of his head.

“No,” Cas replied. “In order for the system to work, some would have had to bet against us.”

“Not what I meant, Cas,” Dean laughed, giving Cas’ hand a reassuring squeeze. “I wonder who bet against us.”

“Jo, obviously,” Cas said. “Since she owes Charlie ten dollars.”

“Actually,” a disgruntled voice said from behind the two of them. They both turned to see a frowning blonde girl crossing her arms behind them. “We were betting on when you two were going to get together. You assholes couldn’t wait two more weeks?”

“That’s what you get for betting, Joanna Beth,” Dean said. “You’re just lucky I’m not telling your mother about this.”

“Mom?” Jo laughed. “She’s the one keeping the books.”

“I find it rather peculiar that people I don’t know have been betting on me,” Cas said.

Jo snorted. “Blame your brothers. They’re the ones that thought the whole thing up.” And with a swish of blonde hair she was gone through the classroom door.

“How the hell do our brothers even know each other?” Dean asked. “Isn’t your brother in college?”

“Yes,” Cas sighed. “But he works at a tutoring center for the school district.”

The bell rang loudly overhead.

“Shit,” Dean said. “Guess we’re a little late for class, huh?”

Cas shrugged. “I don’t mind.”

“Think we’re gunna get in trouble?” Dean asked, looking down at their still entwined hands.

“Perhaps,” Cas admitted. “Should we go to class then?”

Dean shrugged. “My grades are pretty good,” he said. “I’d probably be able to miss a day.”

Cas bit his lip to try and hide the smile blossoming across his face. “Same here.”

“Wanna move Friday night up to now?”

Cas nodded quickly. “Yes, please.”

“Great,” Dean said, pulling him down the now empty hallway. “Let’s go get something to eat, I’m starving. Charlie kept stealing all my fries.”

“She only managed to steal two,” Cas replied.

A sheepish smile broke out over Dean’s face. “So I guess Charlie really wasn’t lying when she said you stared at me, too, huh?”

“Nope,” Cas said. “It’s a good thing for us I believed her.”

“I’ll never doubt her again,” Dean swore.


End file.
